LaboR iN vAIn

Sure, the New Year is the preferred time to evaluate your life. This blog isn't called "Mirror Time" because I enjoy gazing at myself in the mirror. It's because, in my humble view, those kind of evaluations are few and far between.

Like I said previously, last year and perhaps even this year, "we misjudged people. We put our own wants above those that we say we loved. We were selfish. We were vindictive. We pointed fingers. We joined figurative lynch mobs and condemned people on social media. We made decisions without regard for its impact on others. We showed contempt and disrespect for authority. We lied to others and we lied to ourselves. We have compromised our beliefs and our faith." 

The level of profanity and hypocrisy that comes out of our mouths or is typed into the comment section of an inflammatory or polarizing news piece is epic and I can only wonder what how much we are trolling people or do we really buy into the vitriol that we spew out.

But everyone is not focusing on being the next big troll. Many people are hard working, morally conscious, humane, and wise enough to know that finger pointing only delays the inevitable need for accountability and personal responsibility. I am sure you imagined what the world would look like if these two nuggets were trending. Hmm. 

So I speak today to those of you that want more out of this life than you are currently seeing. I don't mean a better car or a better house or anything like that. I am referring to wanting to fully exercise the fullness of the purpose inside of you. I am talking about living this life out loud and squeezing out every ounce of potential, purpose, and vision that is in you. When the time comes, you leave this world behind with no regrets, knowing that you gave all of you and did your best. Hmmph. Maybe nobody else thinks like that but you. Perhaps you are in a vast minority that think generationally and not just in the present moment. Could be that words like legacy and inheritance are not important to your circle of friends.

If that is you, I wanted to give you one thought to ponder. 

Ingenuity. Guts. Heart. Grind. Determination. Work. Genius. Innovation. Consistency. All words that symbolize the standard for the hard working person. They, however, are not guarantees for the kind of success that matters. 

In this life, there is a lesson that has prevailed. I'm not saying it is widely known or adhered to. I am just saying the lesson is still being taught daily. If you don't build a house with a strong foundation, adding it to only helps to hasten a momentous fall. It's not theory. It's going to happen. 

I bought a new home for my wife that was built hastily to say the least. There were many shortcuts taken but the house survived three storms during our time living there and structurally it proved itself to be sound. That limited some of the stress that we were dealing with but it was a great reminder. The winds and waves and storms came crashing down on the house but it stood. Because it had a strong foundation. I used practical examples to make an analogy here so even if you don't know about building a foundation naturally, hopefully, you'll get the point theoretically. 

What kind of foundation are you building? (home, career, work, church)

Did you pick a location that had good "soil conditions"? (If there are any foreign elements in your soil that conflict with what you are trying to develop)

Did you survey the land to make sure there was enough room for what you intended to build there? (Taking care to evaluate your whole life, your time, and counting the cost before you start any building process)

Did you have deep enough trenches before pouring the concrete? (If you have enough of a relationship with your Heavenly Father that will stand the test of time as you build your faith)

Did you allow the concrete adequate time to dry before you begin to add to or build upon it? (Were you open to waiting and trusting God or did you hurry forward in haste to achieve your own goal and not the best plan of action?)

Did you properly seal the walls so no moisture can get in? (Did you provide adequate protection so that dangerous elements can't penetrate your building and erode it?)

Were the "builders" that you allowed into your life qualified and professional and were careful with all the details? (The people that you trust to join you and help you achieve your goals)

You don't have to know how to build a house to understand that you probably don't want to work hard for years and have nothing to show for it. Who walks around with a bag full of money knowing that there are holes in the bag? No one ever. If there is no other takeaway in this, please remember that you can work hard for years and do all you think is best, but without the guidance of the "master builder", our work won't be of true value. I was in the same place until I decided to trust the Lord with the whole process. This blog site is full of articles that highlight just how that looked if you're interested in reading them. 

Work smart, not hard. Who better to trust with the framework of your life than the one who fashioned you and molded you in the first place? Just a little something to think about.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalms 127:1 ESV)